Raymond B. Williams

LAFOLLETTE DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR IN THE HUMANITIES EMERITUS

Raymond Williams joined the Wabash faculty in 1965, rose to full professor in 1977, and became the Charles D. and Elizabeth S. LaFollettee Distinguished Professor in the Humanities in 1989. In 1995, through a $5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., he founded the Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion. He served as Director of the Wabash Center until his retirement.

In 1993, Williams received the Ray L. Hart Award from the American Academy of Religion for his work in organizing Lilly-funded teaching workshops for young scholars in the field of religion. Those workshops served as the precursor to the establishment of the Wabash Center.

Williams is a leading international authority on Swaminarayan Hindusim and the religions of immigrants to the United States by people of India and Pakistan. He has written six books on the subject, including An Introduction to Swaminarayan Hinduism and Christian Pluralism in the United States.

1965-66 - Instructor of Religion, Wabash College
1966-71 - Assistant Professor of Religion, Wabash College
1971-77 - Associate Professor of Religion, Wabash College
1977-2002 Professor of Religion, Wabash College
1990-99 - Charles D. and Elizabeth S. LaFollette Distinguished Professor in the Humanities, Wabash College
1984-95 - Chair, Department of Philosophy and Religion, Wabash College
1994-96 - Advisor to the Speech Department and Advisor to the Dean of the College, with authority as chair of the Speech Department.
1995-2002 Director, Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion: A program for faculty members in seminaries, theological schools, and departments of religion and theology funded by Lilly Endowment Inc.
2002 - Charles D. and Elizabeth S. LaFollette Distinguished Professor in the Humanities, Emeritus, Wabash College, Professor of Religion, Emeritus, Wabash College, Director, Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion, Emeritus
2002-2006 Senior Advisor, Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning in Theology and Religion
2005-06 - Dean of the College, Wabash College
2008 - Director, Wabash Pastoral Leadership Program